Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Morocco Wants Sentinel Radars, Sincgars Radios

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress Thursday of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Morocco of eight AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel Radars, and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $67 million.

The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by supporting Morocco’s legitimate need for its own self-defense. Morocco is one of the most stable and pro-Western of the Arab states, and the U.S. remains committed to a long-term relationship with Morocco.

The Government of Morocco is modernizing its armed forces and expanding its air defense architecture to counter threats posed by air attack. The proposed sale of Sentinel Radars will greatly enhance Morocco’s interoperability with the U.S. and other NATO nations, making it a more valuable partner in an increasingly important area of the world.

The proposed sale will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be Thales Raytheon Systems in Fullerton, California, International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and American General in South Bend, Indiana. There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require travel of up to 10 U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Morocco for a period of 8 weeks for equipment checkout and training.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.